India Likely for Next TUF International Destination

Filming for the first The Ultimate Fighter international begins in Brazil this week and all indications point to the next international destination to host the popular reality series will be India.

UFC president Dana White told the media following the UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit post-fight press conference on Saturday that India is the next stop in the organization’s planned worldwide expansion with the reality show.

“It’s probably going to be India,” said White in response to where’s next after Brazil. “India will probably be the first (after Brazil).”

White’s ultimate goal is to have a World Cup type of tournament with aspiring fighters from around the world fighting for a chance to compete in the world famous UFC Octagon.

“You could do it with four (countries), five, six. Yep, definitely. All the winners fight each other,” stated White.

The Ultimate Fighter debuted on Spike TV in January of 2005, featuring two weight classes and is widely agreed to have been a major catalyst in the sport of mixed martial arts’ rising place in popular culture and mainstream sports.

The Ultimate Fighter Brazil will be the available for viewers in the U.S., as well as airing on television in Brazil. While the new format for the U.S. based TUF will be a “jive live” format with the weekly fights airing live each week, TUF Brazil will follow the same prerecorded format the promotion developed while on Spike TV.

Brazilian MMA Legends Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort are the coaches of the show’s first trip abroad.